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Your Therapy Private Practice: Full-Time or Part-Time?

12/22/2012

 
Is Part-Time Private Practice an Option?

When I used to dream about my private practice, I never once considered that it might be part-time.

You see, I thought of private practice more in terms of black and white.

Either you were “in” private practice (meaning you had a brick and mortar building and worked say 40 hours per week) or you didn’t have a private practice at all.

I had no concept of the option to have a part-time private practice.



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Starting as a Full-Time Private Practice Can Be Risky
Believe me, I get e-mails every week from therapists who decide that “This is the year!” to launch their practices. They quit their jobs, sign leases on office space, buy new computers and sign up for pricey online documentation systems.

They don’t start marketing their services until they are “ready for business.”

And what happens?

They get a few leads here and there but it isn’t the massive interest they were hoping for. Next thing you know you’ve seen about 5 clients in a month and have 10x that amount due for your lease and other bills.

Then you panic and think you’ve made a horrible mistake. Private practice wasn’t what you thought. You’re discouraged, fearful, angry, your confidence is blown and now you’re going into debt because you don’t have a steady income.

Try this instead.

Gradually Move Your Practice from Part-Time to Full-Time:
  • Start treating private clients after work or on the weekends
  • Build a small caseload and continue marketing
  • At some point, reduce the hours at your “regular job” to accommodate your growing caseload
  • Start to shift the balance towards working more hours for yourself
  • When you get to a sustainable (and still growing!) level consider dropping your “regular job” and devote yourself full-time to growing your private practice


Private practice is what YOU want it to be.

Consider starting part-time. Then either keep it at that level or grow it. It’s up to you. It’s YOUR private practice.


P.S. What do YOU think? Leave a comment to share your thoughts with the group!

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Jena H. Casbon, MS CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and private practice consultant. She started her own speech therapy private practice in 2006. She is the founder of The Independent Clinician and author of The Guide to Private Patients and The Guide to Creating a Web Presence for Your Private Practice. Since 2008, she has helped thousands of clinicians get the flexibility, income and freedom they desire from starting their own private speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy practices. 

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Daria O'Brien link
12/22/2012 01:41:47 pm

A colleague and I started a part-time practice three years ago. Our business has grown steadily and we now work part-time at our school positions. We've also added other SLPs who want to work one night per week as well as a part-time counselor. Joining forces with others has allowed the business to grow even more.

Jena Castro-Casbon
12/23/2012 12:25:09 am

Daria,
Congratulations on your expanding practice!

What excellent advice: join forces with others. Many beginning private practitioners are afraid to start but don't ask for help. Working together allows you to share burdens, use each others specific skill sets, learn together and support one another.

I always say, "There is so much we can learn from each other."

Maybe I should start saying, "There is so much we can learn together."

Best wishes and good luck!!!
Jena

Natural cold sore remedy link
4/15/2013 05:37:46 pm

Thanks for such an interesting article here. I was searching for something like that for quite a long time and at last I have found it here.

Sheryl Yalentine
4/20/2013 12:35:34 pm

What excellent advice! I, like you, thought of private practice as all or nothing. Starting my private practice while still working is a great idea! Thank you!

Jessica Wolverton
5/10/2013 04:39:21 pm

I am also going to start part- time private practice. I am working full- time at a nursing home and would like to quit when I get at least 15 children to treat. I have everything I need and now it is time to get my business cards out there and start advertising! I am excited to get started on my own practice!

Tiffany N McGahee link
3/6/2014 04:07:38 am

You can do it Jennifer! How have things been? I'm in a similar situation...just kinda starting out with private practice while still doing my full time job.

Michelle
6/27/2013 07:38:49 am

Great advice. This is what I am planning to do.

Carole Walker link
1/15/2014 11:57:18 am

I have a non profit Hippotherapy center and am considering seeing my hippotherapy clients privately weening away from the company I currently work for fulltime. This is scary but I am so ready to be incharge of my business. Thank you for all your advise.

Lynnette Butler link
5/12/2014 04:59:32 am

OnSite Physio is a mobile therapy provider referral network.
We receive request for home and on the job site therapy services all across the United States. We are looking for contract Independent Therapist nation wide. Therapy referrals as usually one patient at a time and are anywhere from 6 -18 visits. Contact Lynnette @ 866-907-4797 ext 208 for more info.


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